Abstract: An apparatus and a method of washing (or pre-washing) silverware/flatware, or one or more other objects/parts is provided. The apparatus and method utilizes a fluid-push/pull system and method in which generally an entire volume of fluid is pushed or pulled through a cavity in which the silverware/flatware or other objects/parts are located. A cavity is filled with fluid, a mass of silverware or other parts is located within the cavity, generally an entire volume of fluid is pumped out of the cavity, and the pumped fluid is directed back into the cavity to create a generally continuous flow of generally an entire volume of fluid through the cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a tray, a sensor, and a transport mechanism. The tray holds a media stack. The transport mechanism moves the tray past the sensor to scan a side of the media stack.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of washing (or pre-washing) silverware/flatware, or one or more other objects/parts is provided. The apparatus and method utilizes a fluid-push/pull system and method in which generally an entire volume of fluid is pushed or pulled through a cavity in which the silverware/flatware or other objects/parts are located.

Abstract: A rotisserie skewer, basket and parts cleaning assembly is provided. The assembly is located within a wash tank that includes a jet nozzle to expel a stream of fluid into said wash tank. The assembly is rotatably mounted within the wash tank and is capable of holding parts for cleaning.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a tray, a sensor, and a transport mechanism. The tray holds a media stack. The transport mechanism moves the tray past the sensor to scan a side of the media stack.

Abstract: The present invention is a replaceable ink container for use in an off-axis printing system. The printing system is responsive to electrical signals from the replaceable ink container for controlling printer parameters. The ink container has a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of insertion into the printing system. The replaceable ink container includes a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the leading edge toward a first side. The plurality of electrical contacts are configured for engaging corresponding electrical printer contacts associated with the printing system. Also included is a fluid outlet disposed on the leading edge toward a second side opposite the first side and spaced from the plurality of electrical contacts. The fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the replaceable ink container. The fluid outlet is configured for engaging a fluid inlet associated with the printing system.

Abstract: An inkjet printer cartridge adapted for enhanced cleaning thereof, and method of assembling the printer cartridge. An inkjet printer cartridge comprises a cartridge body defining a chamber therein. A substrate is coupled to the cartridge body and has a hole therethrough in communication with the chamber. An orifice plate is coupled to the substrate and has an orifice therethrough aligned with the hole. A platform is coupled to the substrate and surrounds the orifice plate. The platform defines a relatively smooth surface thereon having a predetermined surface roughness for sealably engaging a cap belonging to a print head cleaning service station movable into engagement with the printer cartridge. The surface of the platform may have a surface roughness of between approximately 0.5 microinches and approximately 2.0 microinches. Moreover, the surface of the platform is also level for sealably engaging the cap.

Abstract: An inkjet printer cartridge adapted for enhanced cleaning thereof, and method of assembling the printer cartridge. An inkjet printer cartridge comprises a cartridge body defining a chamber therein. A substrate is coupled to the cartridge body and has a hole therethrough in communication with the chamber. An orifice plate is coupled to the substrate and has an orifice therethrough aligned with the hole. A platform is coupled to the substrate and surrounds the orifice plate. The platform defines a relatively smooth surface thereon having a predetermined surface roughness for sealably engaging a cap belonging to a print head cleaning service station movable into engagement with the printer cartridge. The surface of the platform may have a surface roughness of between approximately 0.5 microinches and approximately 2.0 microinches. Moreover, the surface of the platform is also level for sealably engaging the cap.

Abstract: The present invention is a replaceable ink container for use in an ink-jet printer of the type having a scanning carriage having a plurality of ink-jet printheads mounted therein. The scanning carriage is capable of movement along a scan axis in a print zone portion and in a non-print zone portion. The selective activation of the plurality of ink-jet printheads in the print zone forms images on print media. The replaceable ink container includes an ink reservoir in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of ink jet printheads. The reservoir includes a fluid outlet that is configured for engaging a corresponding fluid inlet associated with the ink-jet printer. Also included is a housing associated with the ink reservoir and the fluid outlet. With the ink container properly inserted into the ink-jet printer the housing has a width, parallel to the scan axis, that is sized to be less than a non-print zone width minus a sum of widths associated with remaining ink containers.

Abstract: The present invention is a replaceable ink container for use in a printing system. The printing system is of the type having a printhead mounted in a scanning carriage and a supply station for receiving the replaceable ink container. The supply station is in fluid communication with the printhead. The replaceable ink container includes a fluid outlet configured for engaging corresponding fluid inlet portions on the supply station. Also included is a first and second guide feature disposed on an outer surface of the replaceable ink container. The first and second guide features'are disposed and arranged to engage corresponding first and second guiding features disposed on opposite ends of the supply station to guide the replaceable ink container into the supply station to fluidically couple the fluid outlet and corresponding fluid inlet.

Abstract: One or more reactive color inks are printed under and over black text and graphics areas. That is to say, one or more reactive color inks are first printed in a selected area in which black text and/or graphics are to be printed, then the black text and/or graphics are printed, and finally one or more reactive color inks are then printed over the black text and/or graphics. The use of under- and over-printing of black text and/or graphics by reactive color inks improves several important characteristics of inkjet printing. Specifically, the following improvements are obtained: dry-time, finger smudge, media independence/print quality, waterfastness, strikethrough, less noticeable missing/misdirected nozzles, and no dedicated pens are required. Alternatively, either underprinting alone or overprinting alone may be used.

Abstract: The present invention is a replaceable ink container for use in an off-axis printing system. The printing system is responsive to electrical signals from the replaceable ink container for controlling printer parameters. The ink container has a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of insertion into the printing system. The replaceable ink container includes a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the leading edge toward a first side. The plurality of electrical contacts are configured for engaging corresponding electrical printer contacts associated with the printing system. Also included is a fluid outlet disposed on the leading edge toward a second side opposite the first side and spaced from the plurality of electrical contacts. The fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the replaceable ink container. The fluid outlet is configured for engaging a fluid inlet associated with the printing system.

Abstract: A black printhead is installed in a scanning carriage with at least one primary color printhead on both sides of the black printhead. To reduce the drying time of a printed black ink pattern and to achieve other benefits, a first one of the primary color inks underprints the black ink in a first scan direction, and a second one of the primary color inks underprints the black ink in an opposite second scan direction. To minimize hue shifts due to the different underprinted colors, the black ink is overprinted, during the same scan that printed the underprinted ink and black ink, by a color ink that is different from the underprinted ink, so that the resulting black image printed in both scan directions will contain the same three color components. In one embodiment, the order of print cartridges in the scanning carriage, as viewed from the front of the printer, is cyan, black, magenta, and yellow. Other orders may also be used, and additional colors may be used.

Abstract: An inkjet printing device comprises a platen on which a printing zone is defined, a carriage, onto which at least a printhead is mounted, slidable along the printing zone near the platen, a service station, located in a service zone separated from the printing zone, a housing protecting and enclosing the printing zone and the servicing zone, and a device, for example a fan, for producing an air flow within the housing. A substantially constant air path is defined within the housing of the device through which the air flow is allowed to pass during its operation. A method for reducing ink aerosol in such a device, during its operation, comprises the following steps: producing an air flow within the housing, and forcing the air flow to pass through a substantially constant air path defined within the housing.

Abstract: The present invention is a replaceable ink container for use in an off-axis printing system. The printing system is responsive to electrical signals from the replaceable ink container for controlling printer parameters. The ink container has a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to the direction of insertion into the printing system. The replaceable ink container includes a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the leading edge toward a first side. The plurality of electrical contacts are configured for engaging corresponding electrical printer contacts associated with the printing system. Also included is a fluid outlet disposed on the leading edge toward a second side opposite the first side and spaced from the plurality of electrical contacts. The fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the replaceable ink container. The fluid outlet is configured for engaging a fluid inlet associated with the printing system.

Abstract: To maintain a uniform spacing between the print media, such as paper or fabric, and an inkjet printhead having a large print swath, for instance about 25 millimeters (one inch) wide, a new media support system is provided for inkjet printing mechanisms, such as printers or plotters. The support system employs an endless belt (62) driven from the belt interior surface by a roller drive system that uniformly supports the printhead media under the reciprocating printhead (54, 56). The belt may be lined with anti-cockle ribs or it may be foraminous, with a vacuum applied thereunder to pull the media onto the belt. An ink drying system is included for heating the belt and thus the media to avoid ink bleed. A method is also provided for supporting and transporting a large sheet of print media through a printzone of an inkjet printing mechanism having such a large swath inkjet head.

Abstract: The present invention is a replaceable ink container for use in a printing system. The printing system is of the type having a printhead mounted in a scanning carriage and a supply station for receiving the replaceable ink container. The supply station is in fluid communication with the printhead. The replaceable ink container includes a fluid outlet configured for engaging corresponding fluid inlet portions on the supply station. Also included is a first and second guide feature disposed on an outer surface of the replaceable ink container. The first and second guide features are disposed and arranged to engage corresponding first and second guiding features disposed on opposite ends of the supply station to guide the replaceable ink container into the supply station to fluidically couple the fluid outlet and corresponding fluid inlet.

Abstract: In various methods, image registration variations among test patterns are used to calibrate misalignment among one or more printheads, paper advance distance, different portions of an inkjet printhead, or bidirectional printhead alignment. A set of test patterns are printed. Each pattern includes a reference portion and a varying portion. The varying portion is changed from pattern to pattern in a manner for testing a parameter being calibrated. An optical sensor scans each test pattern. The parameter setting for the lest pattern having the highest reflectance (i.e., most blank space) is selected as the calibrated parameter value.